The cartoon above was posted by a politically conservative friend of mine. He thought it was "humorous, in an ironic sort of way." 

I didn't think it was ironic, I just thought it was more right-wing slander. Nothing in the carto… Read full post »

 

I've been quiet on OS for two years, mostly because I've grown disillusioned with politics, and that's been my main subject matter heretofore.  But the Chick-Fil-A controversy has me all a-twitter, and so I'm putting forth my opinion on the matter— surprising even to me&md… Read full post »

 The new 9-minute-plus video opus from Lady Gaga and Beyoncé, entitled "Telephone," is sure to get tongues wagging for weeks.  Some such waggers are already comparing the mini-movie to Michael Jackson's "Thriller" clip, and the production value of "Telephone" is certainly comp… Read full post »

Tom@17:  Damn, dude, you got huge!  I definitely have to work out more and cut back on the junk food.

Tom@43:  Won’t help.  Get yourself to a doctor right now.  You’ve got a brain tumor.

Tom@17:  What?!?

Tom@43:  Pituitary macroadenoma.  Your/… Read full post »

For background, please read Noirville Headinlocker's post, "Figure Skating Just Got A Little Gayer."  In the discussion that ensued, Noirville said:

 "...guys don't watch figure skating, so I guess it's one of those things you have to leave to women and homosexuals. If they want to m… Read full post »

This is a post to the request from Stellaa to post love poetry for Valentine's Day.  This has previously been published on my Facebook poetry page.  This relationship, has unfortunately, ended... just in time for Valentine's.  I hope you all enjoy it.  I was very much in love when… Read full post »

The Olympics will not be coming to Chicago in 2016.

With all the respect the Windy City is due, I say, as a fellow American, "Boo hoo."

Americans have cursed themselves with a very ugly sense of entitlement on the international scene.  The US has been awarded the Olympics… Read full post »

I'm a socialist.

I'm pretty unapologetic about it, too.  That gets me into frequent trouble with my friends, who, like most people, have come to think the word socialist ranks right up there with pedophile, terrorist, crackhead and Céline Dion fan among ways  folks just shou… Read full post »

I'd like to take a moment to thank, very genuinely, Alaska governor Sarah Palin.

Gov. Palin, who announced today that she will be resigning before the end of July, was the overly publicized, highly scrutinized, and widely criticized pick of Sen. John McCain as his running mate in the 2008 pres… Read full post »

 

Tonight, I went to the Ryman Auditorium, Nashville’s “Mother Church of Country Music” that was for many years the home of the Grand Ole Opry, to see a show.

I’m a Nashville native, so that's actually a big deal.… Read full post »

How I usually look at 4AM.

Across town, Michael Burgin is warming a bottle for his new baby. Ed Mason is having trouble with Photoshop and making T-shirts. Vance Nichols is on Cloud 9. Kathleen Smith is doing a little publicity for the Lipstick Lounge.… Read full post »

 

 

Despite the festive Bob Marley blaring from the jukebox, there is a palpable tension at the generously-sized table, and it’s making everyone uncomfortable. I keep looking up at Celeste, searching her eyes for some clue as… Read full post »

 

It's after 2AM and you're standing on the corner of 22nd and Elliston using your cell phone.  You are clearly agitated.  I am watching you pace nervously, gesturing with your hands as you plead your case to the seemingly unaffected voice on the other end.

How old are you?&nbs/… Read full post »

A lot is being made in the MSM and the blogosphere of President Obama's "I won" quip: it's gloating, it's not bipartisan, it's arrogant.

But it's also true.

The President has not only the right, but a responsibility to those who elected him, to ensure that his policies are being carried… Read full post »

The city of Nashville, Tennessee today underwent one of its grandest social experiments since it merged with Davidson County to form the first major metropolitan government (Metro Nashville) in the USA back in 1963.

Eric Crafton, a Metro councilman, pushed a bill through that sent voters t… Read full post »

A friend on Facebook tagged me to do this , and I thought I would infect all you good folks on OS with it. Pretty funny!

My life according to my shuffled music.
1. Put Your MP3 player on Shuffle.
2. For each question, press the next button to get your answer.
3.… Read full post »

My uncle Philip died this morning.

Phil was 73, I think. He had a stroke last spring, and his health had been in constant decline since. My father called me with the news, relatively calmly describing the schedule of events for his memorial service and cremation to come this weekend.

My… Read full post »

January is like the year’s superego.  We make these resolutions and look forward to the year to come by telling ourselves how bad we suck in such-and-such an area or what our shortcomings are in some other regard. 

I generally think that setting resolutions is self-defeating, and so… Read full post »

I love this thread.

1. I love the smell and taste of artificial cherry. Cherry Life-Savers, Kool-Aid, Jell-O, that kind of thing. When I was in third grade, I used to stick a cherry Chap-Stick up my nose just to smell it (don't worry, it was nose-only... no booger-eating here).

2. I've been… Read full post »

NB: This started as a response to AmyTuteurMD's wonderful article, Your "orgasm face"? Cosmo and the pornification of women, but has since turned into Chapter CDXXIX in my "Differences Between Men and Women" blather. Kudos to Dr. Amy for bringing up the dialogue.

---

One of the fundamental differences…

Read full post »

Mayor of San Francisco, Gavin Newsom

San Francisco mayor Gavin Newsom is a good-looking guy, sure, but he's also dead sexy for being the political maverick that John McCain could only ever dream about.

His choice of gay marriage as a crusade is incredibly sexy, considering that he's… Read full post »

The name's a mouthful: Felipe Juan Pablo Alfonso de Todos los Santos de Borbón y de Grecia. But his friends just call him "Your Majesty."

Spain's Prince Felipe is the template for the sexy man checklist. To start/… Read full post »

Barack Obama has won the presidency. Tonight, I recognized history unfolding before my eyes.

Obama stands on the edge of glory, and the way in which he has taken center-stage in the American consciousness is undeniable. As Obama wins, pundits will want to dissect how it happened. There have… Read full post »

The tragic irony: as Barack Obama will, if polls hold up, go forth to make history tomorrow as the first black President-elect, he will be facing a flood of mixed emotions. Madelyn Dunham, Obama's maternal grandmother, died today in Hawaii. She was 87.

What a pity that Mrs.… Read full post »

(One of the things I've always liked about Open Salon is the high civility level of the discourse. I'm going to try to stick to that, although I must warn readers that it's really hard for me to keep my head attached to my body when I'm attacked by… Read full post »